Murmur
by Noodleslove
Summary: Sasuke speaks quietly. Naruto always leans in to listen. But why does it make him uncomfortable? Mild SasuNaru. Team 7 era


Author: Noodleslove

Rating: G

Pairing: (Mild) SasuNaru

Notes: This was supposed to be a short drabble since I have not written any sasunaru for a super long time, or really any fics at all. But it ended up being a little longer than that. I hope this can be enjoyed by everyone anyway!

Feedback is appreciated, as always. :3

Sasuke murmured. A lot. And it drove Naruto freaking crazy. It drove him crazy, because when a person murmurs the automatic reaction is to lean into them to hear them better. And leaning into Sasuke flustered Naruto. He tried to understand why and came to the only conclusion that made sense to him: He hated that Sasuke could speak so quietly and **force** Naruto to get closer to hear what he was saying.

That damn Sasuke. It was one power trip after another.

Sometimes, even when they would spar, Sasuke would stand on a tree branch and stare down at him murmuring god-knows-what with the damn smug smirk on his Bastard face. And then Naruto would squint up toward the tree, his nose wrinkled and his ear pointed in Sasuke's direction, a noisy, "eh?" on his lips. Totally uncool.

And after they sparred they sometimes sat in the grass together as they cooled off from a hard workout. Sasuke, when he decided to speak, would speak quietly so that Naruto would have to scooch over so he was sitting hip to hip, his ear next to Sasuke's mouth as he repeated what he had said. Times like these were especially frustrating; when he felt Sasuke's breath on his face his stomach did little flips and he could feel his face heat up.

Most of the time when this happened, Naruto would jump up as if he had been stung by a bee and he'd challenge Sasuke to another fight. He wasn't sure why he did it. It was an automatic reaction he couldn't help. But at least it got his mind of his stomach and his burning face.

And sometimes when they walked down the road together Sasuke mumbled so quietly that Naruto would walk closer to hear him. Sometimes their hands brushed and Naruto would feel embarrassed, and maybe a little like he wanted to kick Sasuke. He didn't though. Naruto walked with his hands in his pockets when he was with Sasuke most of the time instead.

Sometimes Sasuke yelled, but it was usually only when he was angry with Naruto, or taunting him into action. Calling him a dumbass, incompetent, a loser. Whatever the name was, it didn't matter, but those were the times Sasuke yelled. Usually he was a pretty stoic guy, so when his anger exploded he was a force to be reckoned with. And sometimes, Naruto was glad to be yelled at just so he could stand at a distance and listen. Just so he didn't have to feel those little flips and jumps in his belly.

Sometimes he caught himself wishing Sasuke would say it to him quietly, make him lean in again. But then his stomach would catch a million butterflies and he'd feel like flipping Sasuke off and telling him where he could take his tired insults.

And on occasion, when the team had something to celebrate, like a super-successful mission, they would go to Ichiraku together to bask in their accomplishment with a bowl of ramen (or five, in Naruto's case).

It was on one of these occasions that Naruto made a startling discovery. Frankly, Naruto wasn't the most observant person when it came to daily life, but on that evening a thought popped into his head, like a flash of insight or a light bulb flicking on: Sasuke murmured on purpose.

Not a very earth-shattering observation, certainly. Unless one had all circumstances brought to their attention.

Sasuke murmured on purpose, but he didn't do it for everyone.

He murmured for Naruto.

The four of them sat: Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi-sensei on the end. Sakura was speaking hurriedly with an excited sort of squeal in her voice. Something about Sasuke's heroism, great achievements and astonishing good looks. Blah, blah, blah. Naruto tuned most of it out when Sakura got in one of those moods. But very suddenly, Sasuke silenced Sakura with a sharp look and she bowed her head silently, looking upset. Sasuke mumbled something then and Sakura looked up excitedly, expecting that it might be an apology.

She leaned into him touching his shoulder with her own and asked demurely, looking up through her eyelashes, "what was that, Sasuke?"

Sasuke moved away from her quite abruptly and repeated himself, this time looking vaguely to his right: to Naruto. Naruto, this time, moved in closely, eyes squinted and straining to hear. "What the hell did you say?"

It was at this time Naruto's brain registered, in a very tiny way, that not only did Sasuke not move away from him, as he did Sakura, but in fact, moved closer to repeat himself. Even if what he said was, "you eat like a pig."

He fumed for just a fraction of a moment, staring angrily at Sasuke, and then was abruptly aware of how close Sasuke was. He was stunned into silence, a retort falling dead on his tongue. He looked at Sakura and Kakashi-sensei, neither of whom noticed any irregularity. Was it a fluke?

He mulled it over in his mind for a few minutes as he finished his third bowl. He called out to order another, and nestled in Sakura's cries of protest came a quiet voice, barely above a whisper from his side.

Sakura leaned in.

Sasuke leaned out.

Naruto leaned in.

Sasuke leaned in further. (The, "you're going to get fat" was inconsequential at this point).

Shit. What in the name of the Hokage did that mean?

He flipped Sasuke off for the insult and glanced at Sakura. Her bottom lip jutted out, but her only concern was being slighted by Sasuke yet again, it seemed. She apparently had noticed nothing.

Naruto may have considered observing for a little while longer, but to be honest, he was getting uncomfortable and he didn't know if it was a good idea for his stomach to jump around like that when it was full of four bowls of ramen.

He stood up suddenly, startling his companions with the abrupt movement. "Thanks for the meal, Kakashi-sensei! I just remembered I gotta do something," he said, ignoring Kakashi's protests and the confused expressions on his classmates' faces.

As he jogged back to his small apartment the only clear though in his head was:

Sakura leaned in. Sasuke leaned out.

I leaned in. The Bastard leaned in further.

And then he thought he had it. Sasuke was always trying to one up Naruto. Maybe Sasuke could feel the back-flipping butterflies? Maybe when he felt his face get warm it actually radiated heat? Was Sasuke doing it on purpose to make him uncomfortable?

And then he was left with the dilemma that bothered him from the get-go. Why on earth did it make him so uncomfortable? And flustered. And angry. And fluttery. Fluttery: what a god-damned girly-word.

But that's what butterflies do, yeah? Flutter by. Or something.

Naruto ran his hands through his spiky blond hair in frustration. If that Bastard wanted to play dirty to get Naruto off his game, he'd be damned if he'd sit by idly and let it happen.

Cause even though Naruto was naturally noisy and exuberant, he could mumble too, if he tried.

And it happened that on the next day, after missions were complete, Kakashi and Sakura retired to their after-work lives, Naruto and Sasuke were sparring yet again.

Sasuke won, but Naruto was preoccupied; otherwise he would've kicked that bastard's ass. That's what Naruto figured, anyway.

So they sat there on the grass together, cooling off from Taijutsu practise when Naruto mumbled something in the direction of his knees. He saw Sasuke turn his head from his peripheral vision so he mumbled it again, no louder this time.

Sasuke moved himself through the grass until they sat almost hip to hip, leaned in and said in his own quiet voice, "what did you say?"

It was at that moment Naruto turned his head and leaned in toward Sasuke slowly. Inch by inch, his eyes focused on Sasuke's intently the entire time. And it became very obvious to Naruto that Sasuke's courage wavered and, incredibly, his cheeks turned a rosy pink, his eyes widened and he pulled away hastily

This was astounding to Naruto. He had done it. He had won! Whatever Sasuke had been doing to Naruto with his damn mumbly game, well, apparently Naruto had just done it back.

He couldn't help but yell -he was sick and tired of speaking quietly, though he had done it only twice- "I knew it, you bastard!"

Sasuke's eyes widened in alarm, his face deepening in shade. Apparently what he believed Naruto knew about him was something startling indeed. But before he could protest, or make any claims on what Naruto did and certainly did **not** know about Sasuke, thank you very much, Naruto continued: "You thought you could beat me with some kind of mind game. Well I showed you! Don't underestimate me or you'll regret it."

And then, to Naruto's great dismay, Sasuke began to laugh. It wasn't often he heard Sasuke laugh, and when he did it was because he was laughing at Naruto for one blunder or another.

This sounded like the laugh of a person who had just heard that their cat made it out of surgery alive. Or their Mother had a kunai thrown in her chest, but she would recover soon enough. He was laughing like he was relieved.

And when he had recovered himself that smug grin was back on his face and he began to whisper. Naruto, driven by habit leaned in once again and was furious with himself for it, but he stayed his position, pretending it didn't bother him.

And when Sasuke spoke quietly into his ear, his breath tickling Naruto's skin, the acrobatic butterflies flew back into action and Naruto wondered if Sasuke trapped colourful insects in his belly when Naruto murmured too. Even if he didn't exactly get why they were there in the first place. Naruto would punch that damn bastard Sasuke out if he understood the butterflies when he didn't. But Naruto would die before he'd ask.

"I don't think you get it yet," said that all too familiar voice in his ear, as a few stray locks of black hair brushed against his cheek. "It's not a mind game and you sure as hell didn't beat me at it. But maybe you'll figure it out eventually."

Sasuke pulled back, the smug look right in place as he stood up and offered his hand to help Naruto up.

Naruto ignored it, obviously annoyed, and helped himself onto his feet and they walked in stride through the grass toward the path leading into town.

And as Sasuke leaned down to say something, Naruto stuck his hands forcefully in his pockets; butterflies be damned.

But when the words left Sasuke's mouth Naruto couldn't help but move in closer to hear.


End file.
